


In the Cafeteria

by Pinkperson1



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Bonding, Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29388672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkperson1/pseuds/Pinkperson1
Summary: Zell wants a hot dog and Squall eases up by helping him get one.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	In the Cafeteria

Squall entered the cafeteria, eager to buy himself a hot dog and a soda, as he was famished. The line was a bit long, but he didn’t mind waiting. After ordering and receiving his meal, he walked to the seating area and sat at a table away from other students. Like he usually did.

As he took a bite, he saw Zell run inside and up to the counter, then stop to bend over and catch his breath. Zell straightened and looked up at the cafeteria ladies eagerly, but just as he was about to open his mouth, they interrupted him. “No more hot dogs,” they said simultaneously.

Zell immediately stepped backward and hunched over in disappointment. It was a scene Squall had witnessed many times before, causing a corner of his mouth to twitch upward in wry amusement. Zell never had any luck in his pursuit of those damn things.

He watched as Zell slapped his hands to his face in a moment of quiet agony before he began to turn back towards the exit. However, he caught sight of Squall at the last moment and decided to pay the other SeeD a visit.

“Hey Squall,” Zell said, not quite his usual lively self. “Mind if I sit?”

Squall nodded as he lowered his hot dog onto his plate and took a sip of his drink. Zell sat in the chair opposite Squall.

“No luck on the hot dog front, huh?” Squall asked.

Zell groaned hoarsely. “It’s like a conspiracy or something. How are they always out when it’s my turn to order? _How_?”

There was a silence between the two of them as Zell huffed his exasperation. Squall felt tempted to chuckle at Zell’s overreaction, but settled on taking another bite of his hot dog instead. It was just a hot dog, wasn’t it? What was the big deal anyway? And why _were_ they always sold out? As he pondered these questions, he soon realized that Zell’s eyes were trained on the hot dog like a hawk eyeing its prey. He didn’t seem to be aware that Squall could _see_ how he was ogling it.

Squall could have rolled his eyes at his friend because of how transparent he was. He hesitated for a moment as he looked at the remainder of his meal, then sighed, set down the half-eaten hot dog, and pushed his plate towards the martial artist. He knew Zell wouldn’t mind that a few bites had been taken from it.

“Here.”

Zell’s eyes widened, looking both grateful and apprehensive at the same time. It was probably because it wasn’t often that Squall extended a hand in his direction for any reason. Literally. There hadn’t been so much as a fist bump between the two of them. Ever. Somehow the two of them felt like they were frozen in time, as though something inconceivable had happened.

“Squall, I can’t take that. It’s yours.”

Squall rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the awkward way Zell was looking at him. His friend was so expressive that it was like he was unable to hide how he was feeling. Squall was already beginning to wish he’d just stayed quiet instead of appeasing Zell’s unvoiced desire. But it was too late now as his lips moved on their own. “I’m giving it to you. Just take it, Zell.”

Zell grinned and eagerly accepted the plate, wasting no time in stuffing the remnants of the hot dog in his mouth in one bite. “Thanks, man,” he said with his mouth full, the chewed up hot dog on graphic display. “I knew you had it in you.”

“Whatever,” Squall said, cringing a little at Zell’s unabashed eating habits. He just hoped that Zell wasn’t going to expect this to be a regular occurrence.


End file.
